1. Field of the Invention
This invention involves a sealing paint spraying machine, and, more particularly, an end sealing machine for application to packages of lumber or other wood products.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A sealing material commonly is applied to the ends of pieces of lumber at the sawmill to maintain the moisture content of the wood. The sealing generally is accomplished by spraying a high-paraffin content paint on the ends of a package of lumber which has been stacked and strapped for transportation. The normal way of spraying the sealer paint is by hand, which often results in a messy job and wasted sealer paint.
Attempts of mechanized spraying of the ends has usually resulted in two separate spraying machines, one at each end face of the package, where the sealer paint is sprayed out of an exhaust chamber onto the ends while the machine attempts to recapture wasted sealer paint or overspray. Recapture methods on such machines may include the use of doors to contain the overspray. Sealer paint is often left on the doors and then passed on to the non-end portions of subsequent packages which the doors contact. The set-up of such spraying machines is limited as to the length of the lumber packages handled, the position of at least one of the spraying machines needing to be adjusted for each different length of lumber.
Sealing also may be desirable for the sides as well as the ends of certain wood product forms, such as plywood.
What is needed, to overcome the limitations of hand-spraying and prior spraying machines is an end sealing machine which:
a. sprays into an exhaust area;
b. utilizes only a single exhaust area for sealing both ends of the packaged lumber;
c. utilizes spraying means which evenly and effectively cover the ends of each piece of lumber in a package with a minimum of waste and without unintentionally applying sealer paint to the lumber or package other than on the ends thereof;
d. operates in conjunction with a normal sawmill conveyor system;
e. can be utilized with any length of lumber without repositioning the spraying means;
f. is adaptable to automated operation; and
g. is adaptable to incorporated additional spraying means for the sealing of the sides, as well as the ends, of packages of certain wood products, such as plywood.